KNOM Radio Missionhttp://www.knom.org/wp
96.1 FM | 780 AM | Yours for Western AlaskaSun, 02 Aug 2015 17:30:09 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Property Tax Cut for Nome? City Council Mulls Mill Rate Drop During Budget Discussionhttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2015/05/27/property-tax-cut-for-nome-city-council-mulls-mill-rate-drop-during-budget-discussion/
http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2015/05/27/property-tax-cut-for-nome-city-council-mulls-mill-rate-drop-during-budget-discussion/#commentsWed, 27 May 2015 22:48:42 +0000http://www.knom.org/wp/?p=16551The Nome City Council is considering a drop in property taxes, down to 11 mills, a tax break valued at more than $275,000.]]>

Could Nome property taxes go down? At last week’s city council work session on draft budgets for the new fiscal year, Nome City Manager Josie Bahnke told the council there are few fiscal surprises when it comes to the coming year, and overall, Nome is in good financial shape.

“There’s nothing really that remarkable about this budget,” Bahnke said. “I guess that’s the message, our ship is moving forward, we’re all paddling very hard, and we’re doing a great job.”

Good enough, some council members concluded, to entertain the idea in a drop in property taxes. The proposed drop be down to 11 mills (down from 12), a tax break valued at $275,219 on the city’s ledgers. The mill rate is a percentage of a given piece of property’s dollar value, as assessed by the city and collected as property tax. In the past year, with a mill rate of 12, the City of Nome collected roughly $3.06 million in property taxes

“We’re looking at a potential finish [in the black] this year,” said council member Randy Pomeranz. “I would say I’d like to see us drop down to at least 11, for the mill [rate]. And the other thing I’d like to explore is that preschool teacher situation.”

Funding the pre-K job was left “in the parking lot,” however, in favor of discussing possibilities for increasing revenue should the property tax rate drop. Along with a list of possible fee increases, including ambulance calls and various administrative and facility fees, City Manager Bahnke gave just one example of where a small rate increase could bring in extra cash: the city land fill.

“If we were to look at raising anything, I would make sure it is tied to a value of service. For example, our landfill bills are at $12.50 a month to have the privilege of putting trash in the landfill. And that’s been since 1998. And if we were to raise it to $15, for example, the city could realize another $100,000 [in revenue].”

But all the talk of property tax cuts, school funding, and fees was just that—talk. The council will meet for one more work session on the city’s budget, Thursday night at 7 p.m., to take another look at city finances before submitting a final budget.

State health officials have responded to spike in TB in YK region community;

Effort to repeal tax cut on oil companies meets number to get on ballot;

Oil sheen from sunken tender still seen in Bristol Bay;

U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard vessels complete their first Arctic offshore oil spill drill.

http://www.knom.org/wp-audio/2013/07/2013-07-30-knom-update-news.mp3
]]>http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/07/30/update-news-tuesday-july-30-2013/feed/0Sounding Board: Oil Tax Cuthttp://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/05/14/sounding-board-oil-tax-cut/
http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/05/14/sounding-board-oil-tax-cut/#commentsTue, 14 May 2013 23:15:18 +0000http://www.knom.org/news/wp/?p=2398This week on Sounding Board (Thursday, May 16 at 10am), we’re talking about the oil tax cut. The bill narrowly passed the legislature in April. Critics have begun collecting signatures for a referendum to repeal the controversial measure. Proponents say the tax cut will encourage production and boost Alaska’s economy. Opponents say it will devastate the state’s budget, giving away hundreds of millions of dollars each year without any commitments from oil companies.

What do you think about the oil tax cut?

Should Alaskans keep the oil tax overhaul, or repeal it?

How do you think it will affect production?

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